India Reveals Women’s Squad for Australia Tour, Excludes Shafali Verma

On November 19, the Indian Women’s team squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia was revealed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). This series is part of the ongoing ICC Women’s Championship, with both India and Australia already qualified for the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.

The first two ODIs between India and Australia will take place at Allan Border Field in Brisbane on December 5 and 8. The final match is scheduled for December 11 at the Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) Ground in Perth.

Smriti Mandhana will continue in her role as vice-captain for the series, assisting captain Harmanpreet Kaur in leading the 16-member squad. The squad includes two wicketkeeping options, Yastika Bhatia and Richa Ghosh.

Richa Ghosh, known for her dynamic batting and sharp skills behind the stumps, returns to the squad after missing the ODI series against New Zealand due to her board exams. Her inclusion adds strength to India’s lower middle order and offers a backup to Bhatia in the wicketkeeping position.

In a surprising decision, Shafali Verma has been omitted from the ODI squad for the Australia tour. While the BCCI has not provided an official reason for her exclusion, it is believed her recent dip in form may have contributed to the decision.

Verma’s recent performances were underwhelming, scoring just 97 runs in four matches during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, followed by 56 runs from three innings in the series against New Zealand. Whether the drop was due to her lack of runs or a planned break remains uncertain.

Harleen Deol, on the other hand, is set to return to the national team after a long absence due to a knee injury. The 26-year-old all-rounder will rejoin the squad for the three-match series in Australia.

The series provides an important opportunity for players like Jemimah Rodrigues and Harleen Deol to demonstrate their skills, while young bowlers Titas Sadhu and Minnu Mani will be eager to prove themselves on Australian soil.

In a media release, the BCCI shared that the Women’s Selection Committee had named the squad for the series, which is part of the ICC Women’s Championship. The first two ODIs will be held at Allan Border Field, with the final match in Perth at WACA Ground.

India’s ODI squad for the Australia tour is as follows:

Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Priya Punia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra, Radha Yadav, Titas Sadhu, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Saima Thakor.